All weather stadium



J. Hf DE SIBOUR ET AL ALL WEATHER STADIUM Filed June 20, 1933 '7Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug, 25, 1936.. J. H. DE SIBOUR ET AL ALL WEATHER STADIUMFiled June 20, 1955 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 JuLis h. p: 6/5005 650555 PMfles/eouzd.

Aug. 25, 1936... J. H. DE SIBOUR ET AL gymzwzw ALL WEATHER STADIUM FiledJune 20, 1935 7 Shets-Sheet 5 I QQQQQOQQOQ QQQQQQQQQQ I; 7 d Jul-5 H.DES/500 2 (P a: {MW/m8 6 0265 P/WAZ-SHALL.

Aug. 25, 1936.

J. H. DE 'snBouR ET AL ALL WEATHER STADIUM 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June20, 1935 Aug. 25, 1936.

ALL WEATHER STADIUM Filed June 20, 1933 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 V 3 V Z m v .25 L d, F E g i X M 3 w am m ,7 Z h Z 2 v J Juass 650E622 Aug. 25, 1936.

J, H. D E SIBOUR ET AL ALL WEATHER STADIUM Filed June 20, 1933 '7Sheets-Sheet 6 V wae/wfiomr Jl/L 55 H 5/5002 650E616 WLL I, i E 5 2 J.0/ 5 f; w 7% F M 0 .W W m U 2% Wu -2 7 5 Aug. 1936- I J. H. DE SIBOUR ETAL 2,052,211

ALL WEATHER STADIUM Filed June 20, 1953 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 $3M JULES H D5/5005 650265 7? MAESf/flLL WWW :creased and yet the tiers of PatentedAug. 25, I936 UNHTED STATES PATENT OFFlfiE ALL WEATHER STADIUM Jules H.de Sibour and George P. Marshall, Washington, D. 0.

Application June 20,

2 Claims.

posed or intosuch a position as to completely inclose the entire stadiumso as to protect the playing field as Well as the spectators from theweather, the construction being such that the desired height ismaintained in order to allow foot ball to be played within the stadium.

Another object of our invention is toprovide a stadium in which thetiers of seats are so arranged that the seating capacity is greatlyinseats are maintained in proximity to the playing field.

Another object of the invention is to provide a stadium which can beused for any and all sports with the exception of base ball, means beingprovided for forming a swimming pool in the playing field, an ice rinkand a a ring within the center of the field, boxing bouts can be heldwithin the stadium so that allof the spectators will have a clear viewof the ring.

an open air stadium is Another object of the invention is to sub-dividethe grandstand into units of approximately one hundred feet lengt eachunit being provided with the necessary ramps and Stairways and the otheraccommodations for spectators, yet maintaining each unit incommunication with the other units.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a rolling roof forthe field, preferably formed of eight panels constructed of frames, fourto each slde of the longitudinal center, which panels are mounted onrollers on the fixed inclined roof of the stadium, each section thusformed being provided with means, such as an electric motor, for movingeach section independent of the other whereby these roof sections can beadjusted into various positions so as to completely inclose the stadiumor partly inclose the same and when moved into position over the fixedsection of the roof will expose the entire playing field so that formed,and when moved into position to inclose the stadium, the entire fieldwill be covered, means being provided for heating the stadium in anysuitable manner, such as arranging pipes under the seats or in variousways, whereby the stadium can be used for playing ice hockey and thelike and yet the spectators will not suffer from the cold.

Another and further object of the invention is to provide a stadiumwhich is preferably formed 4,0f steel and concrete of the desired size,with the track and by placing 1933, Serial No. 676,755

pended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a horizontal section taken through andoilicials;

Figure 2 is a horizontal section showing the lower tiers of seats at oneend and the upper tiers of seats at the other end with the variousaccommodations and concessions for the spectators;

Figure 3 is a detail enlarged plan view of one of the units of the lowertiers of seats forming one of the sections of the grandstand;

Figure 4 is a transverse section through half the stadium showing theroof in position to inclose the field and the field converted into aswimming pool with a central island with bridges leading to the variousdressing rooms as shown in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a detail transverse section through part of one of the roofframes showing the manner of mounting the frame and propelling the sameso as to move it back and forth on the fixed section of the roof;

Figure 6 is a sectional View through a portion of the fixed roofstructure and one of the movable roof frames with its driving means forthe rollers supporting the same;

Figure 7 is a vertical section through a portion of the fixed roofsection with two of the abutting movable roof frames showing the gutterbetween the two sections in order to form a weather tight joint betweenthe sections as they move independent of one another;

Figure 8 is a detail section showing the construction of the meetingends of the various sliding roof frames with the gutter and weatherstripping in position to form a tight joint when these two sections aremoved into contact with one another; and .1.

Figure 9 is a detail plan view of a portion of one of the roof frameswith its glass enclosure removed showing the electric motor and itsdriving means for moving the frame back and forth on the fixed roof.

In the embodiment of the invention herein shown the stadium ispreferably formed of steel and concrete and comprises a suitable annularbase above which is arranged a lower tier of seats I and an upper tierof seats 2 and a fixed roof structure 3, each tier of seats being formedin units with its own ramps and staircases, thesetiers being incommunication with each other by corridors in order to allow thespectators to pass from one section to another.

Each unit is provided with suitable aisles and corridors with concessionareas and toilets. This provides accommodations for the spectators andmeans for allowing the spectators to reach and leave their seats quicklyyet maintain the tiers of seats in such a position that the'spectatorswill have a clear view of the field.

These tiers of seats and a fixed roof structure surround a centralplaying field of such a size that a regulation foot ball field with aspace surrounding the same is formed which can be converted into a trackand the field is so constructed that a swimming pool 4 can be formedwith a central island 5 having bridges 6 leading thereto which extendfrom suitable passageways leading from dressing rooms disposed below thelower tiers of seats as clearly shown in Figure 1 of the drawings whichis also provided with sufiicient space to form club rooms'and dressingrooms for the players.

The central island 5 formed in the playing field when the field isconverted into a swimming pool is covered with sand and this island isarranged above a suitable tank 1 shown in Figure 4: which is. capable.of being converted into an ice rink.

The construction thus far described discloses an open air stadium withtwo tiers of seats surrounding the playing field divided into units,each unit having its own ramps and Stairways and facilities. foraccommodating the spectators with its fixed roof section protecting thetiers of seats.

This roof. section is formed of sufficient strength by suitable beamsand trusses to support the sliding roof sections as will be hereinafterfully described in order. to allow the stadium to be completely closedto protect the playing field from rain and snow and to allow the stadiumto' be propertemperature' whereby the spectators will not be subjectedto discomfort irrespective of the atmospheric conditions on the outsideand by using the conventional illuminating systems the stadium can beused at night as well as day.

The movable roof as shown, is formed of eight sections, four to eachside of the longitudinal center of the field, each section comprising aglazed panel composed of a suitable frame 8, the description of onebeing sufficient for all. Each roof frame is provided with rollers 9mounted on suitable tracks l arranged on the fixed roof 3, thesesections being mounted to move independent of one another and to moveback and forth by independent propelling means.

The roof frames are inclosed in glass by any suitable skylightstructures II and the adjacent roof sections carry cooperating guttermembers l2 and G3, which slide one within the other, one section beingprovided with a suitable packing, such as leather, to'form a tight jointbetween the adjacent sections as these sections move independent withone another.

heated andmaintained at the The opposing ends of the roof sections orpanels which meet at the longitudinal center of the stadium are providedwith cooperating gutter members I4 and H: which are likewise providedwith suitable packing material to form a tight joint when the varioussections are brought into contact with one another by moving the rollingroof sections outwardly to inclose the field.

The rear ends of the roof sections are counterbalanced as shown at l byiorming these ends of masonry to offset the weight of heavy snow on theunsupported ends of the panels and a bumper I1 is provided to cooperatewith these sections as the roof sections are moved from over the field.

Disposed within the frame work forming the panel of each roof section isan electric motor 18 provided with a gear reduction box l9 from whichextends a drive shaft carrying a driving gear 20 which meshes with apinion 2| on a driven shaft 22 and through suitable driving connections,such as gears 23, the propeller shaft 24 is driven which is providedwith wheels 25 traveling on the tracks It) so as to propel the roofpanels back and forth on the fixed roof in order to inclose the stadiumor to move the roof sections from over the playing field.

The electric motor is provided with an automatic brake 26 for holdingthe roof panels in any position desired and it is, of course, understoodthat a suitable flexible conduit, which can be mounted on a drum asshown at 21 can be employed for supplying the desired energytotheelectric motor so as to move the panels andwhile we have shown certaindetails of construction of driving these panels forming the sectionalroof, it is, of course, understood that certain changes can be made.without departing from the spirit of our invention.

It is, of course, understood that the particular manner. of mounting thepanels on tracks can be departed from without departingfrom the spiritof the. invention, as the invention consists in constructing an allmounting on the fixed roof of the stadium a plurality of glazed panelsformed of frames movably mounted independent ofone another andindependently propelled so that they can be adjusted into variouspositions so as to completely or partly close the stadium and thereforethe right is reserved to change these without departingfrom the spiritof theinvention as. defined in. the claims.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that wehave provided astadium comprising=a central playing field surrounded by a steel andconcrete structure composed of two-tiers of seats, the lower tier.extending outwardly beyond the upper tier with the roofv structurecovering'bothtiers and extending outwardlybeyond the-lower tier ofseats, said roof structure being of, such a height and so formed: thatit provides a rigid support for a plurality of glazedpanels which aremovably mounted thereon and so constructed that these panels interlockwith one another toform a weather tight joint between the same wherebythese panels can be moved upwardly and outward.-. ly so as tocontact-with one another. to completely inclose the playing field in.order toprotect it from snow and rain, thereby providing a convertiblestadium which in good weather is an open air stadium and in bad weathercan be con-. vertediinto a closed structure.

In the disclosurethefixed roof structure cov.-.. ering the superposedrowsof tiers. isonly. half."

weather stadium by movablydetails of construction is also covered by thepanels. 7

This enables the driving mechanism to be mounted on tracks supported bythe roof structure and as the movable panels carry electric motors withdriving wheels which are driven through a plurality panels can be movedback and forth very rapidly and are counter-balanced sition.

What we claim is:

1. An all weather stadium comprising a central playing field free fromaerial obstructions and surrounded by tiers of seats, a fixed roofstructure covering said tiers of seats, a plurality slidably mounted onsaid fixed roof structure and wholly supported thereby and

